Nal poaching under probe

GANDHINAGAR, May 20: Reacting swiftly to the Express Newsline report, the forest department on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the poach...

GANDHINAGAR, May 20: Reacting swiftly to the Express Newsline report, the forest department on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the poaching of rare birds at the famous Nal Sarovar sanctuary, and the involvement, if any, of local forest staff.

A two-member team of Range Forest Officers RFOs K.V. Thakore and H.P. Suthar rushed to the sanctuary. They have been asked to submit report within two days.

Chief conservator of forests G.A. Patel has sought explanation from conservator Ramji Ray and district forest officer Arun Chaudhary, who are in charge of the sanctuary.

8220;If any forest department staff posted at the sanctuary is found hand in glove with poachers, he will have to face stringent punishment, including suspension from service,8221; said principal chief conservator of forests A.P. Mishra.

Taking serious view of the Newsline report, Mishra said the investigating team was dispatched to the Nal Sarovar sanctuary with explicit instructions to find out if there was any negligence on part of the local forest staff. They have also been asked to identify the poachers involved in the illegal sale of rare birds. Most of them are believed to be from the backward Padhar community that inhabits villages around the lake.

Patel said he had written to Ray twice on February 20 and April 28, drawing his attention to the reports of poaching of birds at the sanctuary, and asking him to initiate measures to protect the birds. Nothing had been done so far. Hence, Ray has been asked to explain, and also prepare a detailed eco-development plan containing, among other things, a proposal to augment the local forest staff to protect the birds at the sanctuary.

Attention has also been drawn to the fact that a sub district forest officer has not been camping in Nal Sarovar for the last three months.

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Patel said, 8220;A staff of seven, including one RFO, one sub-DFO who has not been there for the last three months, two foresters and three guards, are posted at the sanctuary. The staff will have to be augmented in view of the sanctuary area being some 122 sq kms and having as many as 11 villages surrounding the Nal Sarovar lake,8221; he said.